How It Happened
by ForeverAgo2015
Summary: Spurred by what she saw in her vision of the past, Princess Twilight asks Princess Luna about that dark time so long ago. The Ruler of Nights agrees to tell her, having long since come to terms with what she had done all that time ago. This tale comes from Luna's point of view. One-shot. (Inspired by Princess Twilight Sparkle Part 1 and 2.) (Snowdrop is mentioned.)


**How It Happened**

"You wish to know what happened to us- I mean- me before I was banished?" I asked, raising a brow at Princess Twilight.

"Yes," she responded, almost shyly, "If it is not too much trouble.

"Of course not," I waved a hoof dismissively, "Follow me, I would prefer to talk about this in the privacy of the Lunar Tower."

The lilac colored alicorn nodded, and followed behind dutifully. I could not help but think Celestia chose an exceptional apprentice. Twilight Sparkle was responsible, sensible, and caring. Well, from what I could tell she was those three things, and those things were needed if she was really going to be a ruler someday.

"Twilight," I said her name and she looked up in response, "May I ask as to why you wish to know my dark past?"

"Um," the alicorn looked away, and refused to look at me for some time. We began to ascend the staircase into my tower when she finally answered, "When you and Celestia went missing, I drank a potion and it made me see a vision. Um, it was the night when you were banished."

"Ah," I nodded solemnly, "Twas a dark day indeed."

"I just wanted to understand why," Twilight explained.

"That is quite understandable," I assured her, "Even my sister was curious. She did not fully understand what had compelled me to side with madness."

Just then I used my magic to open the tall doors that lead into my study and bedroom. When you walked in, the walls and ceilings had the illusion of the night sky. I designed it to where it looked like galaxies were swirling and comets could sometimes be seen shooting across the imaginary sky. It was quite beautiful, and the stars cast enough light to see clearly in and sleep comfortably in. I must admit I am still quite proud of my creation.

"Wow!" Twilight exclaimed from behind me and I could not help but giggle a little.

"Has something surprised you, Princess?" I asked with a knowing smile.

"This is amazing!" Twilight stepped onto the dark blue carpet and kept walking until she was in the middle of the room, looking up at one of the galaxies that I had put there.

"I can show you all the wonders of my suite at a later time," I told her with the same smile.

The lilac pony blushed and gave me a small smile, "Right."

"This way," I jerked my head slightly to the burning fire place and the pillows (all various colors of blue with star like sparkles) that lay before it.

I walked over and laid down on one rather large pillow that fitted my whole body and rested my front hooves on a smaller one. Twilight seemed to decide that she would be comfortable on the only other large pillow I had. The one that Celestia laid on. I made no comment just gave her a look that asked if she was ready. At her nod, I began my tale.

* * *

I began to lose myself some time before I actually became "Nightmare Moon". I barely noticed the subtle changes in myself. The way I would glare at my maid, yell at the cook, and say harsh things to my sister.

It got only slightly better when my friend Snowdrop, a blind pegasus, gave me a new perception on how I was beginning to look at things. I realized what I was doing was cold and hateful, so I did my best to stop and be the ruler and sister I was destined to be.

Even with little Snowdrop in my life, and Celestia as my guide, I still felt like no pony cared for me. My night and moon, the things I tried so desperately hard to make perfect so every pony would praise them like they did the day and sun, were taken for granted. I know now I was terribly wrong.

Snowdrop would say I was just imagine things. I would tell her all about the night, almost every time we meant. How I made a new constellation, or discovered a new star, all of this I would tell her. Since she was blind, and could not see, she was eager to hear my tales. One day, she asked about the sunlight. The how the blue sky looked, and the white clouds.

This moment in time, I was so hurt. I was crushed, and I felt defeated. Even the pony who was my closest and dearest friend wanted to talk about the day to the ruler of night. In my anger and hurt, I yelled and cursed at my only friend. She was only a filly and I had scared her so bad that she refused to see me again. That was the last time I would ever see Snowdrop, and if I had known that then I would have bowed to her and begged her for forgiveness even though I was not worthy of it.

When I had casted out my only friend is when I had truly felt alone. I felt as if I could talk to know one, not even my sister. She was furious with me when she had discovered that I had hurt Snowdrop the way I did, and that she had to hear it from the filly's mother and not I. I had told Celestia that it was none of her business, and muttered that she was a stupid mare who could not her ears to herself.

We fought terribly that day. I ended the fight by screaming that I wished mother was here instead of her, and I made Celestia cry. Tears filled my sister's eyes and she ran from the room. The worst part about it was that I felt nothing for her, nor regretted what I had said.  
The next week, I had heard nothing from Celestia. In my head, though, dark things were whispered. In the anger that was building in me, a being darker than shadow began to take form. It would whisper that every pony hated me and my night. My only friend had abandoned me for the light, and my traitorous sister.

In my state of anger, hurt, and confusion, I listened to the voice. It comforted me in a way no pony else could. It made me feel wanted and loved. In the end, it was just telling me what I wanted to hear. Soon, it convinced me that only one Princess could rule Equestria and that pony was not the ruler of day.

A few days of manipulation was all it took for me to agree to the being's plans. I went into the thrown and waited patiently for Celestia when I should have been fast asleep in my room. When I heard she had entered, and entered alone, I removed myself from behind my thrown.

"Not another step!" I told my sister as she looked up at me in surprise.

"Luna?" she had asked.

I had merely ignored her and stopped in front of my throne, as I'm sure you have already seen, and said, "Did you really except me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light!?"

I glared at Celestia then when she tried to speak. When she closed her muzzle, I ascended the few stairs that lead to a small platform in between our thrones, saying "There can only be one Princess in Equestria, and that Princess will be me!"

I rose the moon then, after breaking apart the wall behind the thrones. The transformation into Nightmare Moon was extremely painful. It felt like I was being burned alive. The creature I had bore out anger and pain suddenly took control, laughing at me and calling me a foolish filly. I pushed and locked up into the back of my own mind, and I realized what I had done.

As the creature that was now me laughed evilly, I screamed and pounded at my internal cage. I fought the being that now claimed my body from within, but to no avail. I was weak now, and the monster I had made was much stronger than myself.

I had to watch as Nightmare Moon chased Celestia through the now dark and cold sky. It felt as if all love had gone from the world as one sister tried to kill the other. I cried and screamed when Nightmare Moon's magic struck Celestia, her scream sounded through our shared ears. Nightmare Moon merely laughed, and mocked my sister. I cursed her, this pony thing I had created by accident.

"But I am you, fool," Nightmare Moon's voice echoed in my head.

"You are not me!" I screamed back.

"You created me," the monster whispered back.

I could not deny her. I fell silent, and cried as my soul began to give up the fight of ever gaining my own body back. I had shut my internal eyes to the outside world, and tried to block out the things that Nightmare Moon was about to do. I could hear her thoughts, and I knew they were not ones full of star-gazing and moonlit walks. No, they were of terror and despair. I feared my little ponies, and yet I was the one who brought this terrible thing to them through jealousy.

When I heard Nightmare Moon's internal voice say mockingly, "Look, Tia is back for more!" I opened my eyes and saw my sister, the Elements of Harmony swirling around her. I knew what she was about to do, and I accepted my fate. I even told Nightmare Moon what she was going to do, but the evil entity payed no head.

When the blasts of magic meant, I could feel the Elements inside. Their magic felt like they crying, mourning for me already. When I looked past the light that was caused by the magic, and saw the tears that leaked down Celestia's face. She mouthed, "I'm so sorry, sister. Forgive me."  
I said that I had no reason to forgive her, that she had done no wrong. That I was the stupid filly who knew nothing. It was my fault this happened. I deserved to be sent away with this evil.

With a final push, and a raging heat, the Elements of Harmony banished Nightmare Moon and I to the thing I loved the most. We were trapped, and I had no idea how long we would be there. I looked on from the moon, and somehow I could see everything in detail.  
I could see Celestia, tears falling freely into the night. She screamed, crying that she had to do it. The Elements of Harmony and Celestia fell from the night, caught by Lunar and Solar guards alike. Once her sister disappeared from her sight, Luna looked out onto Equestria. Every face she saw was terrified and scared, pointing at the moon I had raised during the day. I felt so terrible, and I knew I had failed my sister and kingdom.

Years and centuries past while Nightmare Moon and I slept in an odd slumber. We were aware of the things happening bellow us, but that was all. We did not fight each other, and strangely we were at peace with one another. We never spoke, not even thoughts drifted. We just were, and we were nothing more than that.

In the cold of the moon, and in the odd peaceful sleep, I watched Equestria closely. I soon realized that everything I thought about ponies hating the night was wrong. I watched young colts and fillies gain their cutie marks from gazing longingly into my night. I saw lovers connect in a that have been shameful at day, but acceptable and reasonable in the dark caress of night. I cried silently as I watch my little ponies bask in the night in a way that was unique from how they acted in the day. It made my heart swell, and I promised them silently I would return with the aid of the stars. I promised I would be freed from my prisoner, and I would return to them and right my wrongs.

* * *

I looked up from the fire to Twilight, "I'm sure you know the rest."

Twilight wiped the tears that had fell from her eyes, but I did not know why she was crying. I did not ask either. I let her gain her composer, and gave her a small, sad smile.

"I created Nightmare Moon," I said quietly, "Anger, jealousy, and pain are the most dangerous of combinations. You would do well to learn from my experience, dear Twilight."

"I-I will," Twilight nodded.

"Do you have any questions for me?" I asked, remembering how Celestia had heisted to ask me anything after I had told my tale for her.

"Yes..." Twilight said slowly, "How did you that you would get away from Nightmare Moon and return to your normal self?"

I smiled at that, and glanced at the stars above us, "They told me. Stars can speak, you know."

"They can?" Twilight asked, looking at the stars around them.

"Yes," I nodded, "They have a will of their own, and I have not heard them speak since they freed Nightmare Moon and myself."

"I wonder why," the lilac alicorn tilted her head.

"They work in mysterious ways," I told her, smiling upward, "They always have."

Both Twilgiht and I turned our heads when my doors opened, a Lunar Guardian stood at attention, "Your highness, Princess Celestia wishes to speak to you."

"Let her in then," I told him.

He bowed, and Celestia took his place. She smiled down at Twilight and I, "What are you two doing in her?"

I stretched on my pillow, laying my wings down, "Twilight was curious about my banishment."

Celestia looked to her apprentice, "Is this true?"

"Yes, Princess," Twilight bowed her head as if she were being reprimanded.

"Are you done telling her?" Celestia turned her eyes toward me, worried swirled in their pink depths.

I gave her a reassuring smile in return, "Yes."

"Then would you like to raise the moon?" Celestia smiled back.

I stood from my pillow, and glanced down at Twilight, "I must bid you farewell, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight stood as well, "Thank you so much, Luna."

"It was a pleasure," I told her, and watched as both teacher and apprentice left the room.

Once the door was closed, and I was alone, I let the tears I was holding back fall. Talking about that time was always hard, and it always haunted me. As I walked to the doors that lead to the balcony, I could feel the comforting tug of tonight.

I stepped outside, and saw that the sun was almost set. I bowed my head, and watched as tears left discolored spots on the stone. I closed my eyes, and when I opened them they burned white. With a sigh, I raised my head up and the moon followed. I blinked my eyes clear of magic, and saw that the moon was in place. With a toss of my head, stars sprang to life and tears flew across the sky.

In the distance, I could see a tiny star. It was a very light blue, and beside it lay a yellow one. Those two stars appeared the day when I returned to myself. The day the new bearers of the Elements had freed me and defeated Nightmare Moon. Those two stars represented Celestia and I. It represented that one could not live without the other, and they were like a promise.  
One I have yet to understand.

**~Fin~**


End file.
